Blood transfusion apparatus



Aug. zo, 1940. A.' H. @EE 2,212,318

BLOOD IRANSFUSION APIDAIRATUS Filed April 17, 1939 ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 20, 1940 BLOOD TRANSFUSION- APPARATUS Albert Haldane Gee, New York, N. Y., assignor to Schering & Glatz, Inc., New York, N. Y., a. corporation of New Jersey Application April 17, 1939, Serial No. 268,201 y 2 Claims.

This invention relates to blood transfusion apparatus, the general object of the invention being to provide a new and improved form of apparatus, adapted both for taking blood from a donor, and for delivering it to a recipient, either with or without storage of the blood for a period of time between the-two operations.

One of the advantages of the present invention results from the fact that the principal parts of the apparatus, with the exception ofthe bloodfiltering element, are adapted for use both when the apparatus is utilized for the collection of blood from a donor, and also when the apparatus is being used for the injection of blood into a recipient. Thishelps to reduce to a minimum the number of different kinds of parts which must be cleaned and which the operator is required to have on hand in a sterilized condition; all of which contributes to smooth operating technique. :Another advantage of the invention is due to the fact that it provides a new and improved filter means, which may be used if filtering of the blood is deemed necessary or desirable by the operator. Other advantages of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in the use of blood transfusion apparatus.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. l is an elevation of an apparatus embodying the invention; in the position in which it is supported when blood is being given to the recipient; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevationpartly in section, showing the construction of the apparatus; Fig. 3 is a plan view in section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an elevation, partly in section, of a modified lform of filtering element; and Fig, 5is'a plan view in section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Like parts are referred to throughout the several views by the same reference characters. r Referring to Fig. 1, the blood container 8, prefexjably of glass, is provided with a neck 1 having an opening therethrough. The means for supporting the container 6 in an inverted position is shown as consisting of a metal cage 9 having a bail IIi provided with a supporting hook II. As

shown ,in the drawing, the outside of the neck 1 is provided with molded screw threads I3 adapted' to be engagedby an internally threaded collar I4 of'any suitable material, having therein a slot or opening (shown in Fig. 1) the purpose of which is to facilitate assembly, as will be herein after mentioned. The collar I4, which is provided with a flange I5at one'end, serves to clamp tothe neck 1 of the container 6 certain parts which will now be described.

One of those parts is the blood-filtering screen- (Cl. 12S-214) of the opening through the container neck; the inner end of the inner screen being closed by a cup-shaped disc 2| to which one or both screens are secured, and the other end being provided with a flange 2 2 having a collar 23 towhich the inner or both of the screens are secured. The

ket 24 is preferably interposed between the iiangeA 22 and the end of the neck 1 of the container. vAs shown in Figs. l and 2, the apparatus includes a drainage chamber 26, preferably of glass,

which is closed at one end and is provided at its `other end with an outwardly extending flange 21. A tube 29, also-preferably of glass, is welded or otherwise secured in the closed end of the drainage vchamber 26 and extends axially, as shown in'Figs. l ,and 2, beyond the flanged end 21J of the drainage chamber 26 for a distance which is/only' ,slightly less than the internal length of the jblood-flltering element. As shown in the drawing, the outer end of the tube 29 is adapted tofeceive the end of a rubber tube 33 leading to a glass tube 34 which may be suspended from one end of the bail I0 by a wire hook 35, the tube 34 being partly. filled with sterile gauze and cotton whic fllter out dust or other impurities that mi'git 't erwise pass through the tubes 33 and 29 intothe; space within the bloodfiltering element and through the blood-filtering element into the container 6, during the draining of blood from the latter. Communicating with the'drainage chamber 28 and extending at an angle downwardly from its side, at a point a considerable distance from its closed end, is a drainage tube 33 having an end 3| 'adapted to receive thee'nd of a rubber tube (not shown) leading'to the blood.

As best shown in Fig. 2, there is preferably interposed between the flange 22 of the blood-fil-l tering element and the flanged end of the drainage chamber 26 a washer 31'of comparatively soft rubber, which is preferably 4made in the form shown in the drawing to facilitate easy assembly of the various parts of the apparatus. Also, a gasket 35, also preferably of soft rubber, is interposed between the flanged end of the drainage chamber and the flange I5v of the threaded col-fl lar Il.

Figs. 4 and 5 show a modified form of blood- 'the needle which is inserted in the recipient of y filtering element characterized by the fact that the ne mesh inner screen 20' is of the form best shown in Fig. 5, which gives that screen a greatly increased area. Surrounding the iine mesh screen 20' is the coarser screen I9'. At both ends the ribbed portions of the inner screen member 20' are pressed together as shown in the drawing, and at one end both of the screen members are welded to a disc 2|', while at the other end the screen members are welded to a disc 22 having a flange 23 extending within the inner screen member 2U. It will of course be understood that the blood-filtering screenelement shown in Figs. 4 and 5 may be used in the same way as the lter member shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

When the apparatus is to be used for taking blood from a donor, the container 6 is not suspended with its neck 'I extending downwardly as shown in Fig. l, but instead is supported in any suitable way with the neck I extending upwardly; and if desired the cage 9 carrying the bail I0 may be removed as unnecessary during this operation. All of the parts having been sterilized, the chamber 2B with the tube 29, the washer 31, and the clamping ring I4 with the washer 35, are assembled and attached to the container neck 1, preferably Without the bloodfiltering element. The flexible tube leading to the needle which is to be inserted in the donor is attached to the tube 29; and the usual suction pump (not shown) is attached to the tube 3|. The blood from the donor enters the container 6 through the tube 29 and, by reason of the fact that the end of that tube extends nearly to the bottom of the container, the blood cannot drain down the wall of the container but flows directly into and is immediately mixed with the citrate which is usually inserted in the container before the collecting operation begins. As the collecting operation proceeds, the operator can easily ascertain the quantity of blood collected by consulting the graduations engraved upon the container, as shown at the right side of Fig. 1. When the blood collecting operation is completed, if the operator desires to send the blood to storage, the collar I4 and the parts which are secured to the container by it may be removed and a. screw cap may be substituted.

When it is desired to use the blood so gathered for injection into a recipient, it is merely necessary to attach to the container 6 the various parts, including the blood-ltering element, which are shown in Figs. 1 and 2, to apply the suspending cage to the container, and to attach to the end 3| of the tube 30 a tube leading to the needle which is to be inserted in the recipient. When the container is inverted and suspended in the position shown in Fig. 1, of course the blood within the container flows through the blood-filtering element and down through the annular space between the washer 31 and the tube 29 and into the drainage chamber 26, out of which it ows through the tube 30, while air enters the container 6 through the tubes 34, 33 and 29. During the operation, the quantity of blood passing to the recipient is measured by the fall of level Within the container 6 as measured by the graduations shown at the left side of Fig. 1.

It will be obvious that, after being used, the entire apparatus may be easily disassembled and all of the parts thereof washed and sterilized. The purpose of the opening in the' collar I4 is to permit the drainage tube 30 to pass through that opening when the collar I4 is removed from the drainage chamber 26. The apparatus above described is particularly eflicacious in the matter of preventing any coagulated blood from retarding the flow of blood to the recipient. The co-axial coarse and ne mesh screens are ordinarily used for this purpose; but if they are not used, the drainage chamber 26 acts as a trap for catching any small clots, by reason of the fact that the drainage tube 30 extends from the drainage chamber at a point considerably above its bottom. Thus the apparatus is reliable and effective for the purposes for which it is intended.

What is claimed is: 1. A blood transfusion apparatus comprising a blood container having a neck with an opening therethrough, a tubular blood-filtering screenelement having a diameter vslightly less than the diameter of said opening and closed at one end and at the other end open land. provided with an outwardly extending ange adapted to co-l operate with the end of the container neck, the

length of said blood-filtering element being such that it extends nearly to the bottom (top when' inverted) of said container when inserted therein as far as the flange permits, a drainage chamber closed at one end and having at its other open end an outwardly extending flange, a tube passing through the closed end of said drainage chamber and of such a length that it extends beyond the flanged end of saidv drainage chamber for a distance only slightly less than the internal length of said blood-filtering element, a drainage tube communicating with said drainage chamber and extending at an angle from its side vat a point distant from its closed end, means for clamping the anges of the blood-filtering element and of the drainage chamber to the neck of said container with the blood-filtering element and said tube extending into said container, and means for supporting said container with the neck and drainage chamber extending downwardly.

2. A blood transfusion apparatus comprising a blood container having a neck with an opening therethrough, a tubular blood-ltering screenelenent having a diameter slightly less than the `diameter of said container opening and provided .and extending at an angle from its side at a point distant from its closed end, means for clamping the flanges of the blood-ltering screen-element and of the drainage chamber to the neck of said container with the blood-filtering screen-element and said tube extending into said container, and means for supporting said container with the neck and drainage chamber l extending downwardly.

ALBERT HALDANE GEE. 

